Maybe it’s time for the Bruins to invest is some extra coffee or other products that can help them wake up.

Because right now it seems like they never know what time the game starts.

For the fifth straight game and 14th overall time this season, the Bruins allowed the opponent to score first, this time en route to a 4-1 loss at Atlanta.

Boston has now trailed heading into the third period 11 times in 22 games, and they have been down 3-0 in four of their last five games. It’s not an overstatement to say that the team is circling the drain right now.

Here’s a glance at the box score:

•Among only a couple positives for the Bruins was Blake Wheeler’s goal, which snapped Atlanta goaltender Ondrej Pavelec’s shutout streak at 139:59. Of course, the offense did little else, especially on the power play (0-for-4, three shots on goal).

•With one goal and three assists, Dustin Byfuglien became just the second defenseman in the NHL this season to register four points in a game.

•Jamie Arniel became the first member of Boston’s 2008 draft class to skate in the NHL. He skated for 12:26, fired three shots on net and posted a minus-1 rating. The Bruins’ ’07 and ’08 draft classes have now combined for two NHL games (Zach Hamill has the other).

If I hear one more interview between periods where they say that “we just have to stick with our game plan,” I’m going to lose my mind. The game plan isn’t working. Chip and chase hockey is dying a slow death and the Bruins seem hell bent on being the last team to play this dull style. Look at the West they carry the puck and play hard fast transition hockey they don’t rush to the red line and then dump and run. Because everyone in the league, including the Bruins, has figured out how to beat this style of play. Our power play s a complete joke and has been for over a year Mark Savard and David Krechi would definitely help but even with the two of them in the line up we still won’t cyle like a team that gives a damn. I mean, I’m sorry but the center droping the puck off to the winger coming out of the corner and then switching positions with him while the other three guys on the ice just stand there and watch isn’t a cycle, its two guys skating in a circle. Movement and an unwillingness to give up the puck are the keys to a good powerplay and the Bruins don’t seem to be capable of either, and I don’t see David Krechi and Mark Savard changing that. At the beginning of the season, the Bruins seemed to be having a great deal of success when they activated the defensmen and allowed them to pinch down and keep pucks in the offensive zone, this doesn’t seen to be happening any longer weather they’ve been instructed by the coaching staff to no longer pinch down or if thier earlier success with this was just a fluke remains to be seen but they need to be more agressive on offense and more confident in their defense to keep them in games if thay are going to have any success down the line. This team plays well when thay are confident and that confidence seems much like last year to be waning. If they have too many more games like the last few they are going to have to make some changes because the fans aren’t going to pay to watch this for much longer.

I think the problem is two fold- coaching philosophy and lack of puck moving d- men. Claude is a solid coach but he is way too conservative offensively, when you have Chara and two #1 goalies you can afford to be a bit more risky/creative than dump and chase hockey. I bet our forwards are dying to be let loose. Of course it would help matters if we had Byfglien on our d line or someone of the like.

This team needs a huge wake up call. Lately it is painful to watch this team play.
Whether it is a trade, coaching change, demotion or a combination of these suggestions….something has to be done.
I have always been a supported of Claude, however this team may benefit most from a coaching change.
On the other hand, this team went through almost the exact senario last year, and Kobesew find himself shipped to Nashville. A wake up call yes, but the team never found its scoring touch even though it came one game from the conference final.
This team has a chance to go far this year with Thomas playing so well, Cam and Co need to make some touch decisions in order to capitalize on their chances.

Goaltending isn’t the issue. If you left a peewee player unguarded on the doorstep where Kane was for the first goal, he would have banged it in. The other goals were Byfuglien in all alone, Stuart failing to pick up Slater (essentially giving him a chance all alone), and a crazy tip by Bergfors I believe it was. Atlanta executed more effectively by a mile. Their breakout was infinitely better, as was their passing game in general. Combine that with a D-corps that collectively wants nothing to do with handling responsibility and a lackluster offense, and you have the recipe for a loss.

every time they have gotten a lead this season, they’ve won. Thomas is clearly the number one goalie and he should be playing six of every seven games for most of the season. there needs to be a focus on quick starts with quick scoring. being awesome on defense doesn’t win without getting good shots on goal and neither does getting volume in shots. they aren’t too far from being the best team in the league, but the missing element would be quick starts. somebody needs to tear the letter off of Chara’s chest and motivate this team with some rah rah before they slip down too far in the rankings. Captain Marchand (or Thornton or Recchi or Thomas or….) would likely have more encouraging intensity in his words and attitude.